With all the news focused on Obamacare, SCOTUS, Fast and Furious, etc., I was just looking at some of the weather forecasts here in Virginia.

Remember all the warnings about the effects of shutting down coal plants and the fear that it would potentially cause brown outs or black outs. If they're going to happen this summer, I would think that it's very possible it could happen in the next couple of days.

(Hey maybe Obama would even consider martial law to control crime, riots, potential civil unrest in urban areas.)

So Freepers have you considered what you would do without power to alleviate your family's suffering during the heat wave if the power goes out for a day, or two or three?

This is a life/death issue for my dad who has CHF & cannot tolerate heat/humidity much over 80 without breathing difficulties. We were without power for two days this week (Tues/Wed) after the “derecho” storm came through on Monday. We ran the water pump, lights, etc. on a generator and the temps were cool enough that he was ok. Now, it would be a different story. We have a large generator that will run the air conditioning (heat pump), but for some reason, it won’t start it. Dad is working on that issue now .... might have to go buy a portable air conditioner that will run off the generator to keep one room cool for him if the worst happens. Triple digit temps - tough on any power grid.

12
posted on 06/29/2012 10:04:05 AM PDT
by MissMagnolia
(Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't. (M.Thatcher))

Already live ‘off the grid’ so yes, we are prepared for grid problems. Our preps include owning and knowing how to use effectively multiple firearms, a dog who barks at unusual happenings, and we live more than a mile from the nearest human-occupied structures. Hope the rest are as well prepared.

UPDATE 9:50 AM: The National Weather Service in Blacksburg has confirmed a morning low of 84 in Roanoke, which if it stands til midnight, would be the warmest low in Roanokes weather history by 4 degrees. However before we etch that in stone .. the threat of evening thunderstorms appears to be on the increase, and it would probably take thunderstorm downburst winds to get it cooler than 80 by midnight. It is possible that a storm cluster may develop in the Upper Midwest/Ohio Valley today and rocket southeast, near or perhaps through Southwest Virginia. The Storm Prediction Center has placed much of our region from Roanoke northward in a slight risk of severe weather for this possible. Damaging winds would be the primary threat if this storm cluster  perhaps a bow echo or derecho  develops. Before any of that would occur, it still likely to reach or exceed 100 at Roanoke. Its already 90 at 9 a.m. END UPDATE

This mornings low at Roanoke Regional Airport, based on the automatic observations available on the Web site linked here, was no cooler than 82 degrees (depending on when 82 occurred  it was low in 6 hours before 2 a.m., so it may have occurred before midnight, in which case, morning low may have even been warmer). The warmest low that has ever been recorded previously at Roanoke since 1912 is 80 on four different occasions in the 1930s and 40s. In more recent times, Roanoke had a low of 79 on Aug. 9, 2007, and 78 twice last summer. If this is confirmed as official, it will stick as an all-time record if it doesnt get below 80 by midnight  which would probably only happen if there were downburst winds in an unexpected thunderstorm. Starting out so warm substantially increases the chances of reaching 100 degrees today, which has not happened in June at Roanoke since 1959. Widespread 92-104 high temperatures will occur today across most of Virginia aside from the highest ridgetops today. A massive dome of hot, dry air, originating in the Desert Southwest, not the Gulf of Mexico where we typically see hot and more humid air masses come from, is overspreading our region, and being forced downward by high pressure. West to northwest surface winds rotating around the hot high pressure system are blowing down the slopes of the Appalachians, further compressing and heating that air. Its a scenario that has led to some of our hottest days historically.

Daily record highs for June 29 are 101 at Roanoke (1934) and 92 for Blacksburg (1954). Blacksburgs record appears very likely to fall, as its already in the low 80s there this morning. Roanokes record also appears to have a better than even-odds chance of being tied or broken, now. While it has been at least 100 six times since 2000, Roanoke has only been above 100 twice since 1988  highs of 101 and 102 on August days in 2007.

For those looking for relief  there are indications the hot high will be pulled westward and northward, allowing more of a northwest wind flow and some cold fronts, mid to late next week. But will be several very hot days between now and then.

16
posted on 06/29/2012 10:10:26 AM PDT
by Perseverando
(Keywords: So we can find a really great article a couple of months from now.)

We have already had some brief power outages here. People won’t blame Obama and the EPA for shutting down all those coal plants, but that’s who is to blame, of course. When are folks going to wise up that the libs are destroying our freedom and prosperity? We will have a third world standard of living soon.

17
posted on 06/29/2012 10:10:45 AM PDT
by Pining_4_TX
( The state is the great fiction by which everybody seeks to live at the expense of everybody else. ~)

For me lighting is not an issue, I am an LED flashlight nut with rechargeable batteries and car and solar chargers for the batteries.

I use natural gas, plus I own a variety of about 15 back pack stoves that burn all fuels including battery operated fan assisted and passive wood fragments burning, so cooking isn’t an issue.

I own a library so entertainment is fine.

For me the issue is the fridge, so I guess I will rinse out two 1 gallon milk jugs for water and keep them in the freezer, that should keep the fridge foods fine for at least three days, and possibly five.

18
posted on 06/29/2012 10:13:03 AM PDT
by ansel12
(Massachusetts Governors, where the GOP now goes for it's Presidential candidates.)

It won’t start because the amperage required to start the motor is most likely more than your generator will provide. Starting amps are what matter for equipment like heat pumps, central air, etc. not running amps.

20
posted on 06/29/2012 10:13:52 AM PDT
by Lurker
(Violence is rarely the answer. But when it is, it is the only answer.)

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